Cleaning device.



Patented May l H,y S35/HTH Q MBLANCH.

CLEANNG DEVICE.

mmc/mor.' man sv'rA 3, 1913.

ARTHUR H. SMITH AND MALCOLM BLANCH, 0F WORCESTER,`MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO DOMESTIC VACUUM CLEANER COMPANY, OF

A CORPORATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS.

WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS,

`CLEANNG- DEVICE.

Speciiicaticn of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 1917.

Application filed September 3, 1913. Serial No. 788,026

To all 1e/minet may concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR H. SMITH and MALCOLM BmNon, citizens of theUnited. States, residing at lVorcester, in the county ot lilorcester andState of Maseachusette, have invented a new and useful Clean ing Device,of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to a combined vacuurn cleaner and brush. sweeperand the principal objects thereof are to provide a sini pleT cheap andpracticable construction in which the brush sweeper can be kept ont of*commission until after the suction cleaner has taken up the loose dust,thuspreventing the i'aisingot dust and rendering the device thoroughlyefficient for all purposes, and ein trernely sanitary; to provide abrush cleaner that will occupy a minimum amount of space and will be solocated with respect to the `wheels for operatingthe pneumatic part ofthe cleaner that they will not interfere with the edective operationthereof,and yet will operate the brush with. a high degree ofefficiency. Also to provide an improved. construction of frame forsupporting the brush and its operating devices and improved. means foradjusting and holding the frame so as to secure a maximum efficiency inthe operation of the device.

The invention also involves improvements in details of construction aswill appear hereinafter,

lyei'erence to be had to the accompanyingdrawings in which,

Figure il a side elevation ofa combined pneumatic and sweeper cleanerconstructed in acordarme with this invention;

Fig. 2 is slt-longitudinal central sectional view ot a portion of thesaine; l

Fig. 3 is a plan of the brush supporting frame and connected parts; and

Fig, fi an end eleva-tion showing the details of the means .forholdingbr the sweeper roller in position.

Vr.Phe invention is shown as applied to a well.known type of pneumaticcleaning' device comprising a main. casing .10, suction prodnicingdeviceor bellows 11,' nozzle l2 at the liront end oi' the casing, and rollers13 at the rear.' end. ci the casing `for supporting that end ot thecasing and operating the bellows through pitrncn connections 14 or thelike as usual in this class of pneumatic cleaners, the machine isoperated by a handle 15 pivotally cminectcil by a Vbail or the like 1Gwith the body of thecasing, adapted to be held in vertical inoperativeposition by a clip 17 or the like. It is to be observed, however, thatthe bail is pivoted to the casing itselil in front of the operatingwheels 13 and substantially on a level with the top thereof so that thepressure applied in pressing down on the handle in the usual Way otoperating will tend to swing the nozzle or front end of the casing aboutthe operating wheels as a center and keep the nozzle in proper contactwith the surface to be cleaned.

The dust box 18 of the main casing 10 is shown as recessed at the bottomand in thisy recess is fixed an auxiliary casing 20. This auxiliarycasing is intended to be a permanent part oit the device and while itcan be removed for repairs, it is not intended to be removed in theordinary use of the machine. This casing is provided with a frame pivtedthereto by means of screws 21 or other pivots located between the nozzle12 and the `rollers 13 and in fact, substantially half way' betweenthem. This :trame comprises a pair of. side arms 22 and a transverse rod23. Adjacent to the two side arms are brackets 24C parallel with themand spaced therefrom.`

These are bent up at their ends and riveted to the transverse rod 23.These parts 22, 2,3 and 24 are preferably formed of sheet metal died outinto shape, as indicated in 3, the connection between one of the arms 22and the rod 23 being doubled. upon itself at 25 to provide a projectinghandle foroperat- ,ing the-frame from the side. Journaled between eachpiece 24 and the acent arm 22 is an operating roller 26preferablycovered with rubber or the like. Each of these rollers isadapted to be engaged by a roll 27 fixed on the shaft 28 of a rotarybrush 29.

For the purpose of securing an intimate contact between the rolls andthe rollers,

eachmrni 22 is provided With a spring 30 held between a pin 31 lixed tothe arm, and a sheet metal support 32 slidably inounted von the arm andhaving on the inner side thereof a cylindrical projection which extendsinto the end of the shaft 28 and forms a journal therefor.

The shaft of the brush 29 passes through slots 34: in theauxiliarycasing 20. The auxT firmly down in contact with the'surface -to40 is arranged to bear onthe rod 23 and t is motion is limited by a stop41 engaging the lower side of this rod 23. his spring and stop thus holdthe f aine in operative position. When it is be cleaned, a. sprin l-d'ir to ut the brush out of operation,

fthe f Iame is pressed upwardly around itspif-ots against theresistance' of the spring AU `dntrl it comes above the top of a springylatch l2-which then holds it in its elevated i inoperative position.

rollers 13 It xwillbe noticed that the brush is located between l: enozzle and the main operating but nearer the latter, and that theoperating `=r0llers 26fo'r the `brush are 1ocated betweenv the-brush andthe main operating' rollers 13 so as to be as far from the nozzle as isconvenient. This arrangement with v"the auxiliary casing or brush.

sweeper at' the rear of the bottom of the main casing results insecuring a. high degree of pressure on the rollers 26 from thev handle 15. On account of this arrangement of 'the parts, both sets of1ollers'are in position to receive suiiicient pressure to insure theireffective operation under vall ordinary conditions. to regulate thevertical position of the nozzle so that the' device can be usedeffectively on different kinds offsuifacesl It will` be seen,` also,that the rollers 26 are held 'firmly in .a rigid frame and are supportedthereby `at both `ends so that. there is no danger of getting out oftrue or wabbling-on their' axes.'

By the adjustments specified, all desired combinations of the pneumaticcleaner and sweeper can be obtained. That is to say, the two can be usedtogether|- for the purpose of securing a maximum cleaning action, or

when itis desired to use the pneumatic cleaner alone such resistance asis provided by thebrush sweeper can be eliminated by turning it up outof operative position. It'

will be understood that ordinarily `the cleaner is pushed forward sothat the nozzle passes over the surface to be cleaned, before the brush;consequently the duty 'of the vbrush is merely to pick up threads,vapcrs or other things which have escaped t ie action of thesuctioncleaner. It will be seen, there-l fore, that on account of the wellknown eili- -ciency of the suction device itself, the brush does nothave a high duty. to perform and consequently la comparatively smallpair of pans for dust is sufficient. It has been found in practicethat"@w-itl1 materially taking ied -by thel dust away from the Theadjustable rollerf45 is used box, a brush sweeper can be inserted in theposition indicated in this application, of such a character -as toperform this duty with an extremely high efficiency.

'Although we have illustrated and de-A scribed a specific form of theinvention, We are aware 'of the fact that modifications can be madetherein by any person skilled in the :,rt without departing from thescope of the invention as expressed in the claims. There- .t'ore we donot wish to be limited to all the details of construction herein shownand described, but

lVhat we do claim is,-

l. The combination with a supporting frame, and rollers for supportingthe end of the frame, of a complete brush sweeper located close to saidrollers under the bottoni of the fraaie, and comprising a rotary brush,rollers for opera-ting the brush located between the brush and the firstnamed-1" rollers, and "means for adjusting'thebrush rollers intoandoutof contact with the sur# face to be cleaned.

2. The. combination with a main casing, and rollers for supporting oneen'd thereof, of an auxiliary casing located under said main casing nearsaid' rollers, a brush c arried by said auxiliary casing, a roll on eachcndof' tlie'brush, and a pair of rollers supported from said auxiliarycasing-between the brush and irst named rollers, and adapted to .engagethe surface to be cleanedand I for the purpose o-i "'1'00.

also to engage said rolls, operating lthe brush.- Y 3. The combinationwith a casing havingy a support ,at one end and supporting rollers atthe other, of a frame pivoted en thebot# tom of said casing between thesupport and rollers and having itsfree end adj acenttosaid said frame,

ried by said frame and having rolls thereon',

a pair of rollers journaled on said frameffor operati-ng the rolls andbrush, and .springs on the vfranie for holding said rolls yield'- 1'nglyin contact with the rollers. A

5. The' combination of a frame comprisinga pairof side arms,a transverserod,

arms, a pair ofl 12 connecting-,the ends of said longitudinal piecesparallel with said arms .and spaced from them connected'with saidtransverse rod at one end and'with the arms atlthe other'en'd, saidpieces and arms having journals thereon, a pair of rollers, one 13o ,icerollers, a second pair of rollers journaled on the freine up 1nopposition to said *yielding in gseid frame stop.

journaled between each of said pieces and the adjacent arm, a brushcarried by seid frame, and Ineens for driving seidV brush from therollers. f

In a carpet cleaner, the combination of a support, a sweeper casing onthe bottom thereof, a movable frame, :L brush, a roller carried by saidframe for operating the brush, a, stop, und yielding means for hold-(lown in Contact with said 7. In of a support, a movable frame, e brush,a roller carried seid frame for' operating the brush, yielding mea-nsfor holding seid frame down, andpositive means for holding means, saidpositive means being detachably connected With the" frame.

8.*In a--eerpet cleaner, the combination of zt 'movable ,frameVcomprising ltjpairV of side arms, a roller carried by eeelrv Verm forengegin f the surface to Vbe elelmfil,V e sup?.

a carpet cleaner, the combination ing means for moving each supporttoward one 'of the rollers, L brushsluxft carried by Said supports, anda pair of rolls fixed on said shaft engaging said rollers.

9. In a carpet cleaner, the combination of a movable frame comprising a.pair of side arms, a roller carried by each arm for engaging the surfaceto be cleaned, al sheet metal support slidubl y mounted on eeeh aufm,

scribing Witnesses.

ARTHUR H. SMTPL v MALCOLM BLANCH. Witnesses: ALBERT E. FAY,

C. Forensi* Wesson.

